Council Platform vs Public Platform
Council Platform
councilplatform.comPublic Platform
publicplatform.comSide by side
| Figure | Council Platform | Public Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £200/mo | £200/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 18 |
| Spec score · Government Website Builders | 8.4 (#3) | 8.3 (#6) |
| Accessibility | The maker describes sites as accessible from the outset and provides free accessibility scans to subscribers. | The maker says sites comply with the September 2020 Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations and are scanned through Publica11y. |
| Browser support | The service is tested with current Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11 and Mozilla Firefox, and layouts adapt to mobile screens. | The product is designed to work on modern browsers and devices. |
| CRM | CRM functionality is built into the platform. | Customer-relationship-management functionality is built into the platform. |
| Deployment | The service is available immediately and is fully functional from the first day of access. | The service is delivered through public cloud and has no installable application; the supplier lists no system constraints. |
| Design system | The front end is based on the GOV.UK Design System and can be customised. | The platform is built on the GOV.UK Design System and describes its starting point as accessible and usable. |
| Directories | Users can create searchable and filterable find-your-nearest directories. | Users can create searchable, filterable directory pages for finding nearby services or locations. |
| Documentation | Documentation is described as searchable online material updated as features are created or expanded and as users provide feedback. | The documentation system is searchable, contains illustrated step-by-step tutorials and is updated as features change. |
| Features | Features include service directories, news, event calendars, global search, CRM functionality, forms, and editorial workflows. | Features include service directories, news pages, event listings, global search, multi-step forms, editorial workflow, and scheduled publishing. |
| Forms | Editors can create custom multi-step WYSIWYG forms and surveys using the GDS visual style. | Editors can build multi-step WYSIWYG forms and surveys using the GOV.UK visual style. |
| Integrations | The procurement document lists Bartec, ModernGov, Elgin Roadworks, Council Advertising Network, Microsoft Azure Chatbots, Google Analytics, SiteImprove and ReciteMe integrations. | Listed integrations include Bartec, ModernGov, Elgin Roadworks, Council Advertising Network, Microsoft Azure Chatbots, Google Analytics, Siteimprove and Recite Me. |
| Intended users | The maker presents the platform as providing tools to run public sector websites and lists councils among its customers. | The product is presented for public sector organisations, and the site lists councils and a town council among organisations it works with. |
| News: Drupal 11 | The 25 March 2026 version 3.0.0 release moved the platform to Drupal 11 and promised security updates through 2027. | A 12 February 2026 notice says the supplier was preparing a Drupal 11 upgrade before Drupal 10 reaches end of life in December 2026, with the upgrade provided without charge to clients. |
| Purpose | Council Platform is an online service for running local government CMS websites. | Public Platform is an online service for running public sector websites. |
| Search | Global search uses Solr and supports result highlighting and search suggestions. | Global search uses the Solr enterprise search engine and supports suggestions and matched-term highlighting. |
Plans
Council Platform
- Up to 5000 monthly page views£200 a month
- 5001 to 15000 monthly page views£400 a month
- 15001 to 50000 monthly page views£800 a month
- 50001 to 100000 monthly page views£1,200 a month
- 100001 to 150000 monthly page views£1,650 a month
- 150001 to 300000 monthly page views£1,950 a month
- 300001 to 500000 monthly page views£2,250 a month
- 500001 to 800000 monthly page views£2,700 a month
- 800001 and over monthly page views£3,600 a month
Public Platform
- Up to 5000 monthly page views£200 a month
- Up to 5,000 page views£200 a month
- 5001 to 15000 monthly page views£400 a month
- 5,001 to 15,000 page views£400 a month
- 15001 to 50000 monthly page views£800 a month
- 15,001 to 50,000 page views£800 a month
- 50001 to 100000 monthly page views£1,200 a month
- 50,001 to 100,000 page views£1,200 a month
- 100001 to 150000 monthly page views£1,650 a month
- 100,001 to 150,000 page views£1,650 a month
In their own words
Council Platform
Council Platform is a web service for running local government CMS websites. Its drag-and-drop editor lets teams create complex pages without developer time, with a customisable front end based on the GOV.UK Design System. Features include service directories, news, event calendars, global search, CRM functions, forms, and editorial workflows. The platform supports manual and machine translation for bilingual sites, plus multi-site publishing and document management. The maker describes sites as accessible from the outset and says subscribers receive free accessibility audit scans. Listed integrations include Bartec, ModernGov, Elgin Roadworks, Council Advertising Network, Microsoft Azure Chatbots, Google Analytics, SiteImprove, and ReciteMe. Security provisions include two-factor authentication, password complexity requirements, and automatic logout. Subscriptions include production and test hosting, support, documentation, uptime monitoring, security updates, and a 99.9% uptime SLA. Pricing is based on monthly page views: the plan up to 5,000 page views costs £200 monthly licence fee (ex VAT), while the 5,001–15,000 tier costs £400 monthly licence fee (ex VAT). Plans above 100,000 monthly page views add features including microsites, cookie-less analytics, accessibility auditing, and PDF conversion.
Public Platform
Public Platform has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.